In my "Brain Tales" section, I thought I would take the opportunity to share real stories about how neurofeedback feels or how it impacted someone's life.

These won't be written by my clients, as my professional regulatory body won't let me (or them) do that, but they will be a mix of properly privatized"case studies" and stories others want to share.

The premier Brain Tale is by a business coach I met in a listserv I belong to. Lyle was never my client (what a commute that would have been -- Alberta to Ontario! ;-), but someone I encouraged to explore neurofeedback to help with his fibromyalgia.

Did it? Well, I'll let him tell the Tale! 

(For those who may not know much about fibromyalgia, it is a chronic pain condition. People suffer from musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and multiple tender "pressure points" , especially in the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. In addition to the pain, they may also experience sleep disturbances, extreme fatigue, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and the list goes on....  I'll give you some links for more information after you've heard Lyle's Tale...)

 

THE POWER OF NEUROTHERAPY

 

By

 

Lyle T. Lachmuth MSOD, CDP, CRT

 

 

          It was the Summer of 2003 and I had just returned from a vacation touring the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. My first vacation in three years had been just ‘what the doctor ordered’: restful: lazy drives along the back roads near our camp site, visits to art galleries and the shops of local aboriginal artists, reading on the beach, hiking in the dense forests, followed by quiet nights around the campfire, and early to bed.

          We arrived back home the first day of September. When I woke I knew “IT” had returned. IT was crushing, grinding, mind-numbing pain all over my body.

          The devastating and debilitating pain of Fibromyalgia is virtually impossible for a non-sufferer to imagine. To get some sense of what’s its like, do this: If you are right handed grab your left arm about a hand’s breadth above your wrist. Left handers, of course, do the opposite. Now, take a deep breath and squeeze your arm as hard as you can. Hold that for 5 seconds and then squeeze ever harder and longer.

Does it feel like your arm is being crushed? Can you ignore the pain? How painful is it, really?  Now imagine the crushing pain is ten times stronger. Got that picture in your mind? Now, imagine you feel that pain all over your body. Okay, hold that picture in your mind. Finally, imagine you experience that crushing, grinding pain three, four, or maybe even seven days a week – all day long. Now, you’re beginning to get a sense of what’s it’s like to live with Fibromyalgia.

          Of course, Fibromyalgia isn’t the only condition that creates debilitating pain, it, and it’s evil twin Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,  just happen to be the condition I’ve lived with for 10 years. And, I thought I’d have to live with it and it’s debilitating pain for the rest of my life. What’s was even scarier is that each year the pain I had first begun to experience in 2001 was getting worse and I was less and less able to work.

Then thanks to help from Dr. Karen Shue I was introduced to the restorative power of neurotherapy.

          When I first started neurotherapy treatments I was told that the treatments would cause a dramatic improvement in my life. I was hopeful but part of me didn’t believe it. After all, nothing else I had tried, and believe me, I had tried many, many different treatments, had made a significant or lasting difference. But, none had had any dramatic or lasting impact. So, I was hopeful but skeptical for I had no where else to turn.

          Now, six months after beginning neurotherapy, I am astonished at how my life has improved. I go days and weeks with out the pain of Fibromyalgia (when I take proper care of myself by not overworking and by getting proper sleep and nutrition). And, when I do have pain it is slight and short lived and quickly leaves when I have a nap. I have tons of energy. My creativity has returned. My writing has multiplied and even my hand writing has improved.. And, so has my memory.

I haven’t felt this good in 17 years!

          I can say without hesitation that neurotherapy is the reason I’m doing as well as I am. It was worth every penny I spent and more.

          If you suffer from pain, I encourage you to give the power of neurotherapy a try.

 ______________________

Lyle T. Lachmuth MSOD, CDP, CRT is a professional coach, freelance writer, charismatic speaker, poet and photographer. He works with creative, multi-talented professionals and helps them bring their passions to fruition. You can visit his blog at Creative Careers Unleashed or email him at LyleTLachmuth@Gmail.com.

(c) All rights protected by L.Lachmuth.

For more information about fibromyalgia and neurofeedback, try starting with these links:

The Arthritis Foundation - an overview of fibromyalgia

National Fibromyalgia Association - you can subscribe to their newsletter and get a range of other information

Fibromyalgia in the News - hasn't been updated recently, but the archives are a nice collection of informative stories about different aspects of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia and Neurofeedback - a description of what may "go wrong" in the brain and how neurofeedback may help

Is it all in my head?: what you believe can influence how sick you bcome; a Psychology Today article by Melissa Schorr

Medical Breakthrough -- Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Have some more great links about fibromyalgia?

Want to share your own experience with neurofeedback?

Please just let me know by emailing me (Click on my name, then on my email addres) - I'd love to hear from you!